Gadgets for holiday giving

'Tis the season for gadget giving! If you attended Doug Dixon's annual roundup of tempting new gadgets at the library on Nov. 28, you probably left with a list of great tech gifts to get for others - or to add to your own wish list. If you didn't attend, read on to learn about the hot sellers this season.

Did you know that one set of earphones/earbuds can be used for phone calls and for music? Dixon explains: "Smartphones are great entertainment centers that we can pull out whenever we have some down time to listen to music or watch videos, but they also still do have that old-fashioned telephone part as well. As a result, audio earphones and headphones are providing more support for dual use, with mini controllers to adjust the volume, skip through tracks, and switch between playback and calls."

Why not bring music to everyone's ears? "Bring your favorite sounds on your iPhone or iPad, and then share the joy with portable speakers. Larger wired speakers can turn a handheld device into a boombox for the beach or a party. These often have integrated iPhone/iPod docks, or have audio input jacks to work with other devices." Great idea, Doug! Brookstone has a wireless speaker (scroll down to portable speakers) that has terrific sound quality that can be used for music or as a speakerphone since it has a built in microphone.

These Pivothead-Video Recording sunglasses are so cool, they have to be included. You can video record up to one hour, take still photos and easily share to your computer. They can even be customized with your prescription if you wear glasses. The only thing I wish is that there were a more feminine version of these manly looking shades!

Doug Dixon is an independent technology consultant, author and speaker specializing in digital media and portable devices. He is definitley the go-to guy with 2012 tech trends.